Hospital chair



Aug. 21, 1945. a w. BUSHNELL HOSPITAL CHAIR Filed Sept. 21, 1944 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 21, 1945- E, w. BUSHNELL 2,383,039

HOSPITAL CHAIR Filed Se t/21, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 BYU' 'ATToRN; I

Patented Aug. 21, 1945 HOSPITAL CHAIR Elizabeth W. Bushnell, Bridgeport,Coma, assignor to Berkley A. Thomas and Han! G. Mar quis, both ofScarsdale. N. Y.

Application September 21, 1944, Serlal No. 555,050 2 Claims. (Cl.155-30) This invention relates to chairs, and more particularly tochairs for use in hospitals or by invalids.

Another object of this invention is to provide a chair for use inhospitals or by invalids which is simple and inexpensive inconstruction, yet capable of withstanding extensive, rigorous use.Another object is to provide a chair of the above nature which may becollapsed into relatively compact form to facilitate storage ortransportation thereof. Another object is .to provide a chair of theabove nature which is not only provided with arms adjustable into andout of usable position, but also a seat construction which renders thechair readily adaptable to toilet purposes. A still further object is toprovide a wheel chair of the above nature of such light though strongconstruction that a patient or invalid in the chair may readily be movedabout as desired. Other objects will be in part apparent, and in partpointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, as will beexemplifled in the structure to be hereinafter described, and the scopeof the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the drawings, wherein there is shown one form of the invention,

Figure 1 is a perspective of the chair adjusted for use as a wheelchair;

Figure 2 is a perspective of the chair adjusted for toilet usage;

Figure 3 is a perspective of the chair collapsed for storage ortransportation; and,

Figure 4 is a side view of the chair.

similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the viewsof the drawings.

As shown in Figure 1, the chair comprises a seat to, legs Ii, foot restIf, a back it and arms it and ii, the seat, legs, back and arms beingpivotally connected to one another in such a fashion, all as will bedescribed in detail hereinafter, that the chair may be collapsed orfolded into the compact form shown in Figure 3.

More specifically, seat l (Figure 1) comprises a rest 16 and a paddedcover l1 hingedly related to rest it and movable between the positionsshown in Figures 1 and 2, in the first of which the cover provides ameasure of upholstery for rest it when down, and in the second of whichuncovers an opening lib (Figure 2) in rest It when up, thus adapting thechair for toilet usage.

Fastened to opposite sides, respectively, of seat rest It are a pair ofstraps or supporting members I! and II (Figure l). the outer ends of'which are pivotally connected respectively to the upper ends of frontlegs 20 and II. The lower ends of thesev legs have fastened thereto footrest if as well as front wheels or casters i2 and 23. Substantially attheir mid portions, legs 20 and II are pivotally connected to rear legs24 and 25 which comprise a portion of a U-shaped member, the horizontalcross piece 26 of which not only joins the legs, thus contributing totheir supporting function, but also provides an anchor or catch for anarcuate spring clip 21 which is fastened to seat rest It. The lower endsof legs 24 and 25 have respectively pivotally connected thereto wheelsor casters 2B and 29. It will now appear that spring clamp 21 may beforced out of engagement with cross piece 28 to permit collapsing of thechair into the Figure 3 position, the front and rear legs (Figure l)pivoting at their mid portions and the seat rest 16 pivoting at theupper ends of front legs 20 and 2|, so that the seat and legs may becollapsed to a relatively compact form.

The pivotal connection between straps II and I8 and the upper ends oflegs 20 and II are formed by suitable pins, such as pins 30 and ll(Figure, 2), and the inner ends of these pins are fastened in uprights32 and 33, respectively,

of the chair back l3, the chair back thus being pivotally associatedwith seat l0. As shown in Figure 4, the chair back uprights, forexample, upright 32, includes a portion 32a which extends below pivotpin 30 so as to engage the back edge lid of seat rest l6, thus toprevent counterclockwise pivotal movement of the seat back l3 beyond theposition shown in Figure 4, the parts being so proportioned that theseat back is positioned at any desired comfortable angle. As shown inFigure 1, seat back uprights 32 and 33 are integrally connected by across piece 34, a back rest 35 having its opposite vertical edgesfastened respectively to uprights 32 and 33, the cross piece and backrest thus rendering the chair back strong and comfortable. At oppositeends of the rear edge of cover I! are fastened small brackets 18 and 81by which the. cover is pivotally connected to the chair back uprights 32and 33 as by pins SI and 3! which may be extensions of the pivot pins 30and ii.

As arm rests l4 and I! are identical, the fol! lowing description willbe limited to arm rest l5. This rest comprises a rail or arm 40 fastenedin any suitable manner to a support 4| which may be right-angular incross section. The rear end of the support is pivotally fastened toupright 32 (Figure 4) as by a pivot pin 42, the front end of the supporthaving pivotally connected thereto. as by a pin 42a. an upright or strut43. The lower end of strut 43 is detachably mounted on a pin 44 whereonit may be releasably secured by a wing nut 45, and about which it maypivot when the chair is collapsed into the Figure 3 position. Pin 44, asshown in Figure 1, is conveniently attached to an angle 44 which issecured to seat rest It in any suitable manner. It may now be seen thatwhen it is desired to collapse the chair spring clamp 21 is sprung fromcross piece 26 (Figure 4), the legs pivoting into 001- lapsed positionin the aforesaid manner, and the arm rest i5 collapsing into the Figure3 position by reason of the pivotal movement of its component partsabout pins 42, 42a and 44 as back rest I3 is swung clockwise. Arm restl4 (Figure 1 of course, collapses in the same manner.

Pin 42 (Figure 4) also pivotally supports a strut or brace 41, the outerend of which is provided with a hole 48. This strut or brace ispivotable about pin 42 between the solid and dotted line positions shownin Figure 4, and when in its dotted line position pin 44 may be extendedthrough hole 48 and the win nut 45 threaded over the end of the brace,the strut thus forming in this position a brace between the chair backand chair seat to prevent pivotal movement of the chair back, 1. e.collapse thereof clockwise, as viewed in this figure. The other arm restl4 (Figure 1) is similarly provided with a strut or brace 49 which maybe adjusted in the same manner. It should be noted that braces 41 and 49may be so contoured in relation to their associated supports as toremain in the upper position shown in Figure 1 by frictional engagementtherewith.

Under certain circumstances it may be desirable to dispense with armrests l4 and I5. Under such circumstances, with reference to Figure 4,wing nut 45 is removed, the lower end of strut 43 is slipped off pin 44,whereupon the several component parts of the arm rest may be pivotedabout pin 42 counterclockwise into the dotted line position shown inthis figure, wherein the arm rest is completely out of the way tofacilitate entrance into the chair from either side thereof. Brace 41may also be similarly pivoted out of the way, or may be refastened topin 44 in the manner described, to brace the chair back againstcollapse.

Inasmuch as the lower ends of rear legs 24 and 25 (Figure 2) areunconnected by any cross piece,

it will appear that the chair may be readily 66 rolled over a toiletbowl, as desired.

It will now appear that there has been provided a wheel chair for use ina hospital or by an invalid which, through its ready adaptability into anumber of convenient forms, attains the several objects set forthhereinabove in a thoroughly practical and emcient manner.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention, and asmany changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth,is is to beunderstood that all matter hereinbefore set forth or shown in theaccompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

Iclaim:

1. In chair construction, in combination, a seat, legs fastened to saidseat, support members secured to said seat adjacent the rear edgethereof and extending diagonally upwardly from the bottom plane of saidseat to a position beyond the rear edge of said seat, a back restincluding opposed uprights, pivot means respectively connecting saiduprights to the free ends of said supports, said uprights extendingbelow said pivot means toprovide at the lower ends of said uprightsportions adapted to engage the back edge of said seat below said pivotmeans to limit pivotal movement of said back rest relative to said seat,arm rests pivotally connected to said back rest, means detachablysecuring a portion of said arm rests to said seat whereby upondetachment of said portions from said seat said arm rests may be pivotedinto a substantially vertical position relative to said back rest tofacilitate entry onto said chair from either side thereof, bracing meansextending between said back rest and said seat, means pivotallyconnecting said bracing means to said back rest, and means detachablyconnecting said bracing means to said seat.

2. In chair construction, in combination, a seat having an openingformed therein, front legs, means fastening the upper ends of said frontlegs adjacent the rear edge of said seat, a foot rest secured to andconnectin the lower ends of said front legs, an open-ended inverted U-shaped member forming rear legs, thereby to provide a rearwardiy openframework adapted to permit the chair to be backed over a low lyingobject, means fastening the cross piece of said U-shaped member to saidseat adjacent the front edge thereof, and a caster secured to the end ofeach of said legs, the front and rear legs at each side of said seatbeing crossed and connected at their point of intersection.

ELIZABETH W. BUSHNELL.

